1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders and, more particularly, to a fabric fluid-powered cylinder.
2. Description of Related Art
Pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders generally include a rigid housing having dimensions and weight that limit the range of locations where such cylinders may be used and stored. Also, depending on the loads for which these cylinders are designed, and thus, their overall size, often these cylinders are not easily portable or designed to be portable from one operation site to the next. For those cylinders that are portable, such as a jack for a car, their capacity for lifting and range of extension is limited.
Thus, there exists a need for a flexible fluid-powered cylinder that may be transported to an operation site in a collapsed state, expanded at the operation site to displace an object, subsequently refracted to lower the object when desired, and collapsed when empty to minimize storage requirements. It would be particularly advantageous if the fluid-powered cylinder had minimal weight to reduce associated transportation costs and facilitate its positioning for use, and was nonconductive to protect the object from electrical hazards.